


no further questions

by KareliaSweet



Series: teach me to be brave [3]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Breaking Up & Making Up, Coming Out, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mentions of Anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 03:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9302450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KareliaSweet/pseuds/KareliaSweet
Summary: "Jack. Are you ready to come out?""No, not yet, but -- soon. I think.""You think or you know?"Jack was silent.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So apparently one schmoopy fluffy "big romantic gesture" check, please fic wasn't enough, I had to drag Zimbits into this as well. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not.

**10:45 am, now**

_I have a press conference at 3pm today on ESPN. It would mean a lot to me if you watched it._

 

**_Jack, we talked about this._ **

 

_I know. I wouldn't ask unless I thought it was important. Please, Eric._

 

**_Okay. I'll watch._ **

_Thank you._

Eric stared down at the screen of his phone, willing his fingers to not jab in just one emoji. Or three. He scrolled over his contacts to text Shitty instead.

 

**_Jack has a presser at 3. Can you come over :/_ **

 

Before he could hit 'send' his phone buzzed with an incoming text.

 

_Just talked to Jack. I'll be there with Lards later. 2:30 ok?_

Eric smiled down at his phone.

 

**_2:30 is great. Thanks. <3_ **

 

_Love you, brah,_

 

Bitty slumped down and floped his head back against the couch cushions.

 

"Jack, what are you doing?"

 

-x-

 

_two years ago_

 

"Jack, what are you doing?"

 

Their apartment was dark, save for twinkling fairy lights that had been strung around the living room. A lilting love song drifted softly through the sound system. In the middle of the room was Jack.

 

Jack. In a perfectly pressed tuxedo. On one knee. With a small velvet box in his hand.

 

Eric could feel the nervous energy vibrating off of him. He closed the door quietly behind him and padded slowly towards Jack, who held up the box with slightly shaky fingers.

 

"Eric Richard Bittle, will you--"

 

"Jack, stop."

 

Eric winced. Jack couldn't have looked more hurt than if he'd actually been slapped. Tears stung at his eyes.

 

"I don't -- Bits?"

 

Eric knelt in front of him, one hand cupping his face.

 

"Jack. Are you ready to come out?"

 

"No, not yet, but -- soon. I think."

 

"You think or you know?"

 

Jack was silent.

 

"Honey, I love you so much. You know that. But you can't ask me this when I wouldn't even be able to have a real wedding. It's - it's not fair."

 

Jack held his gaze for a moment, and then his face abruptly crumpled.

 

"I'm sorry," he choked out, "I'm sorry that I'm not strong enough for you."

 

Sobs began wracking out of him between heaving breaths, and Eric swiftly gathered Jack up into his arms.

 

"Honey, breathe with me. Listen, you are plenty strong enough. Strong, and brave--"

 

"--'m not brave."

 

" _Jack Laurent Zimmermann_ ," Eric said firmly, "don't you dare tell me you’re not brave. I know that you are. Look how far you've come."

 

He ran a soothing hand through Jack’s hair.

 

"Don't get me wrong, sweetheart. I'm so happy that you want to ask me. And you know what my answer is. Just ask me when you're really ready. I'll be here."

 

"Will you?"

 

Eric kissed him then, soft and sweet.

 

"Of course."

 

-x-

 

**2:39 pm, now**

 

"Sorry we're late, brah, the cat would not shut the fuck up."

 

"You don't have a cat."

 

Shitty just punched him lightly on the shoulder and grinned. Lardo shoved him forward, forcing her way in so she could hug Eric tight.

 

"Hey, Bits."

 

"Brews now or later?" Shitty yelled from the kitchen.

 

"Now," Bitty replied, " _and_ later."

 

"Nice. Lards?"

 

"Yup."

 

Shitty twisted the cap off three bottles of Natty Boh and brought them round to the coffee table. He handed them out and clinked their bottles together.

 

"Cheers, motherfuckers."

 

They took a long swig in unison before Shitty cleared his throat.

 

"So, anyone got a fucking clue what this is all about?"

 

Eric shook his head. "No idea."

 

Lardo arched an eyebrow. "You think maybe he's gonna--"

 

Eric held up a hand. "Don't even say it. If he is, I don't want to jinx it."

 

Lardo nodded sagely and leaned into Shitty's side.

 

"We're rooting for you, bro."

 

"Thanks, guys."

 

Shitty tapped his bottle against Eric's again and patted his thigh. He took a swig of beer, then reached for the remote.

 

"Here we go."

 

-x-

 

_seven and a half months ago_

_"_ Here we go."

 

Shitty handed off the box marked 'KITCHEN' and Eric deposited it into the back of the van. He closed everything up methodically and leaned his forehead on the door.

 

Shitty rested a hand on Eric's shoulder.

 

"He wants to say goodbye."

 

Eric shook his head. "I don't."

 

Shitty gave him a brief squeeze. "Okay. I'm just gonna-"

 

He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, to where Jack stood at the front door, looking impossibly small.

 

"No, I mean, I don't want to do... _any of this_. Why--" Eric's voice broke and his red-rimmed eyes welled up for the twentieth time that day.

 

"Why won't he let me stay?"

 

Shitty sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

 

"Because he loves you, bro. You know that."

 

"I can wait," Eric said, "I said I would wait as long as he needs."

 

Shitty just shook his head, looking as heartbroken as they both felt.

 

"I know," Eric said. "I know. I'll go say goodbye now."

 

He made his way back up the driveway, head bowed, unable to meet Jack's miserable gaze. When he got to the door, he looked up. Jack was silently crying.

 

"I'm so sorry, Bits."

 

Eric sighed. "I know. Me too."

 

For a moment, neither of them spoke, then Jack reached forward and touched Eric's hand.

 

"Can I kiss you goodbye?"

 

Eric went still. Everything in his rational brain told him ' _no, don't do this to yourself, your heart's already broken, no need to smash it to pieces as well'_ , but he ignored it all and just tipped his face up to Jack's.

 

It was a wet, trembling kiss, but they held it as long as they both could before the tears were too much, and Eric pulled away, resting his forehead on Jack’s chest.

 

"I still want to be your friend, Jack," he said quietly.

 

Jack wrapped his arms around him.

 

"I want that too."

 

"But I'm going to need... time. Can you give me that? Just a bit?"

 

"Of course." Jack said, pressing their foreheads together.

 

"Promise me you'll take care of yourself. If your anxiety flares up, you call m-- you call someone."

 

Jack nodded. "I got Shitty on speed dial."

 

"Okay. Okay."

 

They were still holding on to each other.

 

"I should go now."

 

Neither moved.

 

"I love you, Jack," Eric whispered.

 

Jack made a strangled noise and squeezed him tighter.

 

Before either of them could say another word, Eric pulled himself free. He squeezed Jack’s hand once, then turned down the driveway, forcing one foot in front of the other as he walked away.

 

-x-

 

**3:00 pm, now**

 

"Thank you all for joining me today."

 

Jack's fingers tapped on the table. Behind him, Georgia briefly squeezed his shoulder, then stepped back.

 

"In the past, I have made a point of being open about my Panic Disorder in an effort to remove the stigmas associated with mental health issues. I have struggled with anxiety for years, I have good days and bad, but it does not define me as a person or how I play."

 

Jack looked down for a moment, and when he re-addressed the reporters, his eyes were as sharp as they were on the ice.

 

"Neither does my sexuality."

 

Shitty and Lardo's mouths dropped open at the screen, and in perfect unison they both said, " _Motherfucker_."

 

"I am here today to announce, with pride, that I am bisexual."

 

Jack gave a curt nod, as though he was finished, then he swallowed and looked off to the side.

 

"I was, until recently, in a loving and committed relationship with another man."

 

Eric's eyes went wide with shock. Jack looked back up at the room, his tone a little softer now, his eyes gentle.

 

"I would like to apologize to this man for letting my career dictate our happiness, and if he can forgive me--" Jack's voice quavered for just a second. Eric's hand flew to his mouth. Jack cleared his throat.

 

"If he can forgive me, then there is a question I would very much like to ask him."

 

The silence that had fell upon the press room quickly broke, shutters clicking and voices rising as microphones were held aloft in the air.

 

"That's all. No further questions," Jack said, and quickly left the room.

 

Shitty and Lardo rose from the couch, screaming in excitement, fists pumping. Eric sat heavily between them, stunned.

 

"He did it," Eric whispered quietly. "He actually did it."

 

Lardo sat back down next to him and put an arm around his shoulders.  "You okay?"

 

"I'm... yeah, I'm..."

 

Eric looked down at his phone, then back up at the television.

 

"Do you - do you think he wants to get back together?"

 

Lardo bumped her forehead against Eric's temple.

 

"Bitty," she said softly, "did you ever really break up?"

 

Fat tears begin to spill from Eric's eyes, his lip trembling.

 

"No," he whispered.

 

Shitty squished down next to him and hooked his chin over Eric's shoulder, smushing a kiss into his neck.

 

"Bro. Your wedding is gonna be fucking sick as hell."

 

Eric began to laugh, tears pouring freely from him as his friends held him tight.

 

"Yeah," he breathed, "yeah, it is." He wiped his face with the back of his hand. "That boy has to ask me first though!"

 

As if on cue, Eric's phone buzzed between them. Shitty and Lardo sprang up.

 

"Would you look at the fucking time?" Shitty declared. "Gotta go feed the cat. Come on, Lards."

 

"You don't have a cat!" Eric yelled after them with a grin. Lardo waggled her fingers at him and closed the door behind them.

 

Eric's hands were shaking so much it took him three tries to hit the answer button, then he brought the phone to his ear.

 

"Jack?"

 

"Bits."

 

"Oh, _Jack_." Eric sighed into the phone. "Are you okay?"

 

"I'm fine, I'm - I'm great actually. Are _you_ okay?"

 

Eric huffed out a small but slightly hysterical laugh. "Is that your question?"

 

Jack actually laughed, bright and clear. "No, haha, no, that wasn't...  I'm sorry about that."

 

Eric frowned. "You are?"

 

"Euh. No. I'm not. But I hadn't meant to say so much. On live television anyway. Well, you saw, eh?"

 

"I did. Oh, Jack, honey, I'm so proud of you. And I--" Tears clogged thick in Eric's throat again. "I love you so, so much."

 

There was a small sound at the end of the line, and when Jack's voice came back it sounded watery. "I love you too, Bits."

 

"Can you come over?" Eric asked. "I'd really like to hear that question."

 

Jack's blinding smile was audible on the other end of the line.

 

"I'm already on my way."

 

-x-

 

**4:24 pm, now**

 

"Eric Richard Bittle, will you--"

 

"Lord, let me open the door first!"

 

The door swung open with a bang, and there Jack stood, smiling and a little out of breath. Eric launched himself at Jack, peppering his face with kisses.

 

"Yes," he mumbled. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

 

Jack laughed and swung the door closed behind them.

 

"Hold on, hold on," he said between kisses, "let me do this properly."

 

He gently pushed Eric back, stealing one more kiss as he did. Eric hiccupped a laugh of his own and sniffled.

 

"Bits, I never stopped loving you and I never, ever plan to stop. You've made me brave, and strong, and I--," Jack’s voice hitched a little. "I'm a better man because of you."

 

"Jack." Eric reached for him and Jack shook his head.

 

"I know I've hurt you. And I'm so, so sorry. But if you'll let me, I want to spend the rest of my life making you just completely, ridiculously happy."

 

Jack dug into his pocket then and pulled out a very familiar velvet box. He sunk down on one knee. Eric gasped softly.

 

"Eric Richard Bittle, will you marry me?"

 

"You fool," Eric whispered softly, "of course I will."

 

Jack's grin split from ear to ear. He swiftly slid the ring onto Eric's finger, caught him up in his arms and swung him around the room, kissing him deeply all the while.

 

-x-

 

Their wedding was, as predicted, fucking sick as hell.

 

**Author's Note:**

> flail with me at @lovecrimevariations on tumblr. I'm a beautiful mess about all the hockey nerds.


End file.
